by Todd D. Burlage Aug 22
http://www.blueandgold.com/content/?aid=2120
Charlie Weis spent much of Monday’s post-practice talking about his evolution as a coach and the evolution of his players since he arrived on campus before last season.
Weis explained that the relationship he has built with the team has evolved to the point where there is a mutual trust and a better understanding of what to expect from each other.
Things were so frantic last year just trying to learn personnel and get things installed, not a minute could be wasted.
This season, Weis believes it is important to reward the hard work his players have shown in camp this season so he moved last Saturday’s practice to the morning and gave the players a rare Saturday night off. It was a “bone” Weis said he wouldn’t have thrown the team last year.
“Because as a head coach, you open yourself up to the societal problems that come with having a Saturday night off,” Weis said. “I think there is a quality of life that you have to deal with when you are dealing with these kids too. You have to let them be students sometimes and let them get settled in like everyone else.”
Some of the players took exception to Weis’ close monitoring and early curfews at the Fiesta Bowl last January, leading to some grumbling within the troops before game day. Weis himself said he learned some lessons on how to deal with college guys during that trip, lessons he expects to apply this season.
Maybe he already has started, but don’t call the coach a softy just yet.
“My expectation, on both the front and the back end, were really hard work and that’s what I got,” Weis said. “I was able to throw them a bone. ... I was able to throw them one because I trusted that they understood if they messed up, that would be the last one they ever got. So far, the reports have turned in clean; so far.”
Kicking Quandary
Weis said that other than Geoff Price, no decisions have been finalized on the kicking duties. Unlike last year when D.J. Fitzpatrick handled the kickoff, field goal and punting duties, Weis said there is a good chance three different players could be in those roles this season.
The staff will evaluate the kickers based on training camp as a whole, not just one good day or practice session. Kickers are rotated daily at practice to help keep legs fresh and to give the coaches a good evaluation each day.
Based on practice observations and experience levels, it might be safe to assume that Price is set at punter, senior Carl Gioia is the frontrunner for placekicker and freshman Ryan Burkhart is poised to handle kickoff duties.
Of course, that can change daily.
“Because what happens is, a guy will come out here some day and he’ll make five out of six field goals and the next day, he’ll go out there and make two out of six,” Weis explained. “One day you’ll say, ‘He’s my guy,’ and the next day, you’ll want to cut him. So what you have to do is add all the information together and then make an objective decision rather than subjective.”
Phase III Begins
Weis broke his training camp schedule into three phases this season, something he didn’t have the luxury of doing last year.
Phase I was mainly about fundamentals, techniques and starting to piece the personnel puzzle together. Phase II was about working on some specific offensive strategies, settling on some two-deep issues and working with some scout teams.
Phase III, which begins today, is mainly about game planning for Georgia Tech. Like so many areas this year, the three-phase approach was something Weis would have liked to implement last year, there just wasn’t the time.
“It’s totally different this year from last year,” Weis said. “Because right up until game week (last year), there were jobs, starting jobs, that were still in question. Now, most of those jobs that are in question (this year) aren’t starting jobs. They’re the starters in multiple packages and they’re the backups in all different cases. There are a lot more players involved in the mix now than there was a year ago.”
http://www.blueandgold.com/content/?aid=2120
Charlie Weis spent much of Monday’s post-practice talking about his evolution as a coach and the evolution of his players since he arrived on campus before last season.
Weis explained that the relationship he has built with the team has evolved to the point where there is a mutual trust and a better understanding of what to expect from each other.
Things were so frantic last year just trying to learn personnel and get things installed, not a minute could be wasted.
This season, Weis believes it is important to reward the hard work his players have shown in camp this season so he moved last Saturday’s practice to the morning and gave the players a rare Saturday night off. It was a “bone” Weis said he wouldn’t have thrown the team last year.
“Because as a head coach, you open yourself up to the societal problems that come with having a Saturday night off,” Weis said. “I think there is a quality of life that you have to deal with when you are dealing with these kids too. You have to let them be students sometimes and let them get settled in like everyone else.”
Some of the players took exception to Weis’ close monitoring and early curfews at the Fiesta Bowl last January, leading to some grumbling within the troops before game day. Weis himself said he learned some lessons on how to deal with college guys during that trip, lessons he expects to apply this season.
Maybe he already has started, but don’t call the coach a softy just yet.
“My expectation, on both the front and the back end, were really hard work and that’s what I got,” Weis said. “I was able to throw them a bone. ... I was able to throw them one because I trusted that they understood if they messed up, that would be the last one they ever got. So far, the reports have turned in clean; so far.”
Kicking Quandary
Weis said that other than Geoff Price, no decisions have been finalized on the kicking duties. Unlike last year when D.J. Fitzpatrick handled the kickoff, field goal and punting duties, Weis said there is a good chance three different players could be in those roles this season.
The staff will evaluate the kickers based on training camp as a whole, not just one good day or practice session. Kickers are rotated daily at practice to help keep legs fresh and to give the coaches a good evaluation each day.
Based on practice observations and experience levels, it might be safe to assume that Price is set at punter, senior Carl Gioia is the frontrunner for placekicker and freshman Ryan Burkhart is poised to handle kickoff duties.
Of course, that can change daily.
“Because what happens is, a guy will come out here some day and he’ll make five out of six field goals and the next day, he’ll go out there and make two out of six,” Weis explained. “One day you’ll say, ‘He’s my guy,’ and the next day, you’ll want to cut him. So what you have to do is add all the information together and then make an objective decision rather than subjective.”
Phase III Begins
Weis broke his training camp schedule into three phases this season, something he didn’t have the luxury of doing last year.
Phase I was mainly about fundamentals, techniques and starting to piece the personnel puzzle together. Phase II was about working on some specific offensive strategies, settling on some two-deep issues and working with some scout teams.
Phase III, which begins today, is mainly about game planning for Georgia Tech. Like so many areas this year, the three-phase approach was something Weis would have liked to implement last year, there just wasn’t the time.
“It’s totally different this year from last year,” Weis said. “Because right up until game week (last year), there were jobs, starting jobs, that were still in question. Now, most of those jobs that are in question (this year) aren’t starting jobs. They’re the starters in multiple packages and they’re the backups in all different cases. There are a lot more players involved in the mix now than there was a year ago.”
